Mordru, also known as Mordru the Merciless, is a supervillain featured in American comic books published by DC Comics.[1] Created by writer Jim Shooter and artist Curt Swan, Mordru made his first appearance in Adventure Comics #369 in June 1968.[2]
Regarded as one of the prominent members of the Lords of Chaos, Mordru typically serves as an antagonist to various teams and characters within the DC Universe. These include the Justice Society of America, Amethyst, Doctor Fate, Justice League Dark, and his primary adversaries, the futuristic Legion of Super-Heroes. Possessing the characteristics of a parasitic-like cosmic entity, Mordru is recognized as one of the most potent wielders of magic in the DC Universe. Frequently driven by a desire for conquest, he relentlessly pursues methods to amplify his already overwhelming power to exert control over all of existence.
Mordru was originally an energy being who possessed Wrynn, one of the twin sons of Lord Topaz and Lady Turquoise. As Wrynn, Mordru studies black magic and accidentally resurrects the golem Flaw, a golem and servant of the Lords of Chaos who chooses him to assist them in retaking Gemworld. Over time, Mordru takes over Wrynn's mind and body and banishes him to his subconscious. After killing Wrynn's brother Donal during a battle with Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld, Mordru is banished from Gemworld and imprisoned inside the planet. During this time, Mordru develops taphophobia (the fear of being buried alive), which becomes his "Achilles' heel".[3]
Infinite Crisis erases the Gemworld origin and continues Mordru's post-Crisis battles with Doctor Fate and other super heroes. Instead of possessing Wrynn, Mordru controls the form of sorcerer Arion, and was previously imprisoned in the Rock of Eternity.[4]
Pre-Crisis (20th century)
Chronologically (in DC Universe time), Mordru's first battle with costumed superheroes occurs during a meeting between Earth-One's Justice League of America and Earth-Two's Justice Society of America. Mordru (who inhabits the Earth-One universe) captures members of the JLA and JSA from the 20th century and forces them to retrieve artifacts to free the Demons Three. During the battle, the Justice League and the Justice Society ally with the Legion of Super-Heroes.[5] His plan fails. There is some loss of continuity following Crisis on Infinite Earths, the battle is restored to continuity by the events of Infinite Crisis,[6] where the Justice League and the Justice Society reside on a combined "New Earth".
Post-Crisis (20th and 21st centuries)
After Crisis on Infinite Earths, Mordru is reimagined as a Lord of Chaos. When the Justice Society face him in the present day, Jack Knight (the current Starman) mentions that he knows of Mordru from his visits to the 30th century, and the android Hourman reveals that he attempted to use his time-manipulation to revert Mordru to a less powerful state but found that Mordru's timeline had no beginning or end, suggesting that he is immortal. Mordru attempts to steal the body and power of the newest Doctor Fate, but is subsequently imprisoned in Fate's amulet. After escaping, he overpowers Fate (Hector Hall) and steals his collar and amulet.[1] With the aid of Eclipso and Obsidian, Mordru tries to conquer the world, but is defeated by Doctor Fate and the Justice Society.[1] Fate imprisons Mordru within the Rock of Eternity. There, Mordru is guarded by the wizard Shazam. Spectre is seduced by Jean Loring, host of Eclipso, then murders Shazam moments after Mordru escapes.
After escaping from the Rock of Eternity, Mordru seeks revenge on Fate and the Justice Society.[7] During Mordru's battle with Fate (now manifesting in his helm and cloak on his own without a host), Mordru and Fate encounter different timelines, such as the Kingdom Come timeline. Fate mocks Mordru, suggesting he is a 'cosmic fluke' and a cancer and that no other versions of him exist. Mordru is then defeated by Jakeem Thunder, who places him "somewhere where none of us will see him again".
Mordru returns to again impersonate Fate, but the members of the Justice Society see the ruse. When cast out, Mordru returns to his original form (Volume 2, issue #34).
Mordru battles the JSA and the hostless Nabu in JSA #80, art by Don Kramer.
Pre-Zero Hour (30th Century)
In the 30th century, Mordru appears on Zerox, the planet of sorcerers, and takes control in a coup. In doing so, he steals the sorcerers' powers, but his apprentice, Mysa Nal (the White Witch) escapes.
Mordru, now known as the "Dark Lord", creates an unstoppable, tyrannical space empire by conquering nearby planets. He combines the technology of the conquered planets with his sorcery. For example, he can jam an enemy's weapons before a space battle. However, Brainiac 5 notices that the Dark Lord is choosing his conquests carefully "as if selecting baubles from a jeweller's tray" thus suggesting his power has wavered.[8] In a large space battle, the Legion defeats the Dark Lord's armada. Mordru fights back by appearing as a hundred-foot armored giant. After he defeats the Legion, he reverts to his normal stature to rejoice in his victory, failing to notice that Mon-El and Superboy were not present during the fight. The two seal him in an airless vault which is then placed beneath Legion Headquarters.
While exploring the headquarters, Shadow Lass finds Mordru's vault and opens the outer door. While trying to open the main door, she is interrupted by Mon-El, who warns Shadow Lass and shuts the vault. He opens an outer glass window which lets them see safely inside, but they see Mordru is revived and coming thru the vault side. Mon-El sounds the alarm and Superboy tries to reach him but is rendered unconscious by Mordru, who has not yet regained his full strength. The Legion flee through a Time Bubble. The Legion have no time to set the bubble and arrive at its last setting, Smallville in Superboy's time. They hide the bubble and aided by Clark Kent (Superboy) they assume secret identities. Through Lana Lang and the Smallville townsfolk, Mordru finds the Legion. They battle and again, Mordru is left imprisoned and comatose.
Mordru manipulated the Resource Raiders, the Khunds, the Dark Circle and events on Weber's World (a diplomatic conference between the United Planets and the Dominion) to take over Earth and defeat the Legion, but is defeated. In the aftermath of the crisis, the Khunds and the Dark Circle are driven out of United Planets territory. The U.P. and the Dominion sign an extended peace treaty.
Lord Romdur
Mordru flees to Avalon, a backwater planet, and takes the name Romdur (an anagram of Mordru). Star Boy uses his "mass-inducing" power to collapse Mordru's castle, trapping him again.
One of Darkseid's Servants of Darkness frees Mordru from imprisonment on Avalon, and Darkseid steals his powers. He is left powerless on Zerox.
Legion of Super-Heroes, volume 4
Mordru is fated to rule the universe for a thousand years. The Time Trapper tries to use the Legion to stop Mordru's rise to power, but in The Great Darkness Saga, the Legion become more powerful than expected. The Time Trapper realizes the Legion is a potential threat. When Mon-El destroys the Time Trapper, it disrupts the space-time continuum and reveals a universe in which Mordru does come to power. Glorith, a minor villain, casts a spell, at the expense of her own life. With this spell, she goes back in time and becomes responsible for the creation of the Legion.
In the new timeline, Glorith orchestrates a battle between Mordru and the Legion. Glorith plans to have Mordru and the Legion destroy each other so she can come to power. Ultra Boy discovers her plan and coerces Mordru to attack Glorith.[9] At this point, the Sorcerers of Zerox remove Mordru's powers and cure his mind. He then marries Mysa Nal and moves to the planet Tharn.
Following the Magic Wars, there is a galactic economic collapse and Tharn faces destruction by the Khund. To protect the planet against the Khund starships, the Sorcerers' Council restores Mordru's powers, even though they know the power will corrupt him. Mordru defeats the Khunds and becomes Emperor, allying with Glorith.
Relations with other villains (Pre-Zero Hour)
Due to Mordru's power, other would-be conquerors of the 30th century consider Mordru (and hence the Legion) in their plans. For example, Pulsar Stargrave masquerades as Brainiac 5's father and sends his real father on a series of missions to gather artifacts that could defeat Mordru. Stargrave enlists the aid of the Time Trapper, a "time manipulator". Stargrave orders the Time Trapper to prove his worth by killing the Legion. When the Time Trapper fails, Stargrave tries to enlist the Legion themselves. Later on, the alien sorcerer Sden tries to trick the Legion into retrieving yet another artifact, again with the goal of defeating Mordru.
Post-Zero Hour (30th and 31st centuries)
After Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, the future of the DC Universe was rebooted. Instead of an established Legion, a new Legion with younger heroes had just been formed, and the history between the 21st and 30th centuries had changed. The story after Zero Hour has Mordru establishing a large empire in the 28th and 29th centuries before being imprisoned by Mysa (now his daughter rather than his apprentice) in a vault on the Yuen asteroid. In the battle, Mysa's allies are killed and she is severely aged.
Mordru is released by a mining project on the Yuen asteroid controlled by a group of disgruntled Legion rejects. The new Legion consisting of Sensor, Umbra and Magno investigates unusual events on the asteroid. Mordru searches for his lost talismans which hold his power such as the Emerald Eye of Ekron.[1] The owner of the Eye defends the relic until a Legion led alliance (including Mysa (who is now de-aged), the Workforce, and the Amazers) defeats Mordru and imprisons him in an airtight sphere. Although the "Elements of Disaster" threatened at one point to revive him, Mordru remains imprisoned.
In Legion of 3 Worlds, a tie-in to the Final Crisis storyline, Mordru is one of Superboy-Prime's Legion of Super-Villains. Mordru rules the Sorcerers' World and holds the White Witch hostage. After killing Glorith, Dragonmage and Prince Evillo, Mordru holds the remaining magic of the universe.[10] He also receives the power of Kinetix (killed by Superboy-Prime) and that of the other sorcerers of "Universe-247". However, the White Witch absorbs Mordru. Due to Mordru's evil in doing, so she becomes the "Black Witch".[11]
The New 52
In 2011, "The New 52" rebooted the DC universe. Mordru and Questing Queen worked together to find a specific artifact where they come into conflict with Etrigan the Demon.[12]
The New Golden Age
A younger version of Mordru operated as the Golden Age Legionnaire before mysteriously vanishing.[13] By "Flashpoint Beyond", he was among the thirteen missing Golden Age superheroes in the Time Masters' capsules. When those capsules failed, they were all pulled back to their own time, with history rebuilding around them.[14]
In "The New Golden Age", Legionnaire's bio was shown to have his information redacted, with his appearance silhouetted except for his Legion Ring.[15] Legionnaire was first seen witnessing Alan Scott taking Ruby Sokov with him.[16] Legionnaire then appears before Power Girl, Hawkman, Salem the Witch Girl, and Stargirl and states that he wants to be a member of the JSA. They eventually allow him to join on a provisional basis.[13]
Powers and abilities
Mordru is recognized as an ultimate level magic wielder with a reputation as a master of black magic, able to manipulate virtually any force within the universe according to his will. He possesses exceptional endurance that surpasses superhuman limitations, along with immortality and superhuman strength.[17][18][19] In more recent portrayals, Mordru's powers derive from a unique form of magic known as "chaos magic", which requires known systems, such as pentagrams and spells, to be cast.[20]
Weaknesses and limitations
Mordru, despite his formidable powers, possesses several weaknesses. One notable weakness is his claustrophobia, which makes him vulnerable when confined in small spaces. Additionally, Mordru is susceptible to environments lacking air, further rendering him susceptible to defeat through methods such as burial or entrapment. Furthermore, Mordru's overconfidence in his abilities often proves to be a hindrance. This arrogance can lead him to underestimate his opponents or overlook potential threats, creating opportunities for his adversaries to exploit. Mordru's power is somewhat limited by the boundaries of his imagination. While he possesses incredible magical abilities, the extent of his power is constrained by his own creative capacity. This limitation implies that Mordru's abilities may fall short when confronted with situations or challenges that require a level of imagination beyond his current capabilities.[18][17][21] Additionally, as an energy being and Lord of Chaos, Mordru relies on the utilization of a physical vessel and host to utilize his magical powers.[22]
Mordru makes a non-speaking appearance in the Justice League Unlimited episode "The Greatest Story Never Told".
Mordru appears in the Legion of Super Heroes episode "Trials", voiced by Jim Ward.[23] This version was previously banished from Zerox and stripped of his magic, but found an amulet known as the Lamentation Pentacle that enabled him to regain it. He then attempts to overtake Zerox, but is defeated by the Legion and imprisoned underground.
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↑ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p.211. ISBN978-1-4654-5357-0.
↑ Amethyst (vol. 3) #1–4 (November 1987 – February 1988). DC COmics.
↑ The DC comics encyclopedia: The definitive guide to the characters of the DC universe. Matthew K. Manning, Stephen Wiacek, Melanie Scott, Nick Jones, Landry Q. Walker, Alan Cowsill (Newed.). New York, New York: DK Publishing. 2021. ISBN978-0-7440-2056-4. OCLC1253363543.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
↑ Tynion, James IV (2019). Justice League Dark. Vol. 2, Lords of order. Ram V, Alvaro Martinez, Guillem March, Daniel Sampere, Mark Buckingham, Miguel Mendonça. Burbank, CA. ISBN978-1-4012-9460-1. OCLC1110150328.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
↑ Who's Who in the Legion of Super-Heroes #5. DC Comics. 1988.
↑ Willingham, Bill (2010). Justice Society of America: axis of evil. Travis Moore, Jesús. Merino, Dan Green, Jesse Delperdang. New York: DC Comics. ISBN978-1-4012-2901-6. OCLC567099447.
↑ "Mordru Voices (Legion of Super Heroes)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved July 3, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
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